Acts from all over Scotland and the UK gathered in and around Ocean
Terminal, Leith in the last week of August, for this year's week long Edinburgh
MELA. We have photos of just a handful of the performers involved, but we'll
be back in 2009, eagerly looking forward to seeing what the 2009 Edinburgh
MELA has in store ...

Yatra//Journey was a collaboration of artists from the Royal Scottish Academy
of Music and Drama, Adeo Records and Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers. It was performed
on both nights of the weekend, and drew together South Asian traditions with
Scottish music and Japanese Taiko drumming. The Bengali Performing Arts are
based in Renfrewshire: they performed "...for a living planet" a piece dedicated
to Mother Nature, which drew on a selection of Indian dance forms.

Left <<<: Bengali Performing Arts
hear the cry "Give back the Forests"
Right >>>: The longing in humanity to safeguard Nature.

Cathay Re-public (below), was another collaborative project under the
aegis of Kimho Ip's iMAP. Kimho was joined by Cheng-Ying Cheung (countertenor
and liuquin), Louise Martin (cello, musical saw and stiltwalker), Jiang Li
(percussion), and Coral Lee (dancer pictured above). They performed several
pieces on three occasions and invited passers by and listeners to join in
the finale, by playing on small drums which they passed around.

Left
<<<: Louise Martin and Cheng-Ying Cheung perform while a
security worker and Coral Lee watch on.
Right >>>: Coral Lee Left <<<: Members of the Bob Lowey
7-Star Taijichuan School
Right >>>: Coral Lee leading children in the dance.

Initium (where dreams begin) was performed in the massive dining
area of the Ocean Kitchen by Akademi South Asian Dance UK. It featured a
large cast of male and female dancers in a stunning display of dance, conflict,
death and rebirth. The Ocean Kitchen was turned into a balconied theatre
as people on three levels watched the breathtaking dancing and acrobatics.